Brooke Smith, advisor for the FFA program, asked Henryetta school board members to approve organization of a skeet/sport clay shooting team as part of her program.
“We are the only chapter in Okmulgee County that does not have a team,” she said.
If approved by the board in July, the team members would be supplying their own shotguns and would have to find a place to practice. “Morris has shotguns kept in a locked gun safe on school property and Wilson students have their own guns. I understand practice can’t take place on school grounds,” Smith said. One site being eyed for practice is the gun range developed by the Henryetta police department at Nichols Park. Practices would take place after school hours and students would be responsible for their own transportation to practice.
At state competition, the Oklahoma Wildlife Department provides the guns while students would bring their own glasses and ammunition pouches.
“Not all of our kids are going to do livestock. We are a rural community and a lot of the kids have a wildlife background including hunting, fishing,” she added.
Another program being eyed by Smith would include archery and would be open for students with the help of the state. It would work through the National Archery in the Schools Program.
“Archery is not supported by FFA,” she said. “With NASP, we would be teaching bow hunting and bow fishing as well as hunter safety.”
Even though NASP os designed for students from grades 3 through 12, the main focus would be on the high school grades.
Smith introduced the program at the Monday night school board meeting and will have complete plans for the program available for the July 12 board meeting.
“We could start up in July and our area competition would take place in October.”
